Stage apparatus.



ll. d

UMTED STATES YrArum OFFICE.

Ronnnfr n. GoLns'rnIN, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

` STAGE APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Romain?` II. GoLDs'rnrN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, `in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have "invented new and useful Improvements in Stage Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to apparatus `for producing stage effects by the use of mirrors; and it isthe object of the invention to provide an apparatus for producing a novel and spectaculark effect with a simple and easily constructed and arranged means.

v My invention has'in view the making of a stage effect particularly for motion pictures;(they effect being recorded upon a motion picture film; but the invention is not necessarily limited to motion pictures.

I employ a central camera station, preferably concealed and preferablyV rotatable; and I arrange a plurality of mirrors (preferably plain mirrors, standing vertically) around the centrall camera station, with their reflective v`surfaces facingthe` station,

and the mirrors substantially surrounding orinclosing a stage space in which an action may talre'place.L74 As hereinafter described, the multiple reflections from themirrors, together with the relativev rotation ofthe camera station, givey an eective multiplication ofthe action, so thata single action seems to be aV great many times multiplied. My invention'will bemore clearly apparentfromthe followingdescription of a specilic preferred form'of apparatus, reference being` had to the accompanying 'drawings in which, Figure 1is a plan section of a pre-v ferred form-of apparatus; Fig. 2 is avertical section taken as indicated by, line 2-2 on Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an kenlarged 'vertical section taken as indicated by line 3 3 on Fig. 1.

In `the drawings the numeral y designates a stage floork or anyl other suitable support upon, which my apparatus may be erected and below which, certain parts of the apparatus maybe arranged, as hereinafter described.

I provide a central. camera station 11,

which may be of any desired character, but is preferably yconcealed by being ornamented or covered in some manner. For instance, I may provide a structurev embodying a lower compartment 15, preferably circular and of a size adapted to receive a camerak operator, seat 16 being vprovidedfor Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

that purpose. This compartment may be keasily constructed by using a barrel 17,

which'forms a strong support for the parts above. The barrel is surrounded by any suit-able covering 18, this coveringin this particular `caseforming the lower part of a fountain structure, being provided at its upper end with a basinv 19 for reception of water which flows over the edge,as indicated in Fig. 2. Rising from the upper end of the barrel there is a camera compartment 2O in which the motion picture or other camera 21 is placed, the lens of the camera projecting at 22. The exterior of this part may be ornamented as indicated at 23, in any suitable manner, preferably insuch a manner that the projecting camera lens (or the camera opening through the wall of the chamber 20) becomes unnoticeable. Above the part 20 I may provide a column 24, supporting a fountain basin 25, anda fountain nozzle 26. Water is supplied to the fountain nozzle through a pipe 27 which extends up through the stage floor 10 and may have a swivel joint 28 on its lower part; The water ed thereby is carriedf upon a turn table 35 which restsupon a turn table base 36 and is rotatable thereon. A hollow shaft 37 conwhich falls into basin 25 is carried by pipe 30 f nects with' turntable 35 land projects below the stage floor and is there provided with a hand-wheel 38,`or Aprovidedwith any other suitable means for causing rotation. The

' 4turn table 35' and turn table base 36 may be of Vany suitabley character; being, in a simple form of apparatus, merely two plates or ber of the mirrors depends largely upon the eEect desired and upon the amount of space required for action. In an ordinary case the distance across the inclosed stage space may be some 30 or 40 feet; and the mirrors may be eight in number, as illustrated, or may be of any suitable number. I preferably use plain mirrors placed in the manner shown, each mirror facing the camera station squarely; but it will be seen that it is not necessary to place the mirrors in said specific position, nor to use plain mirrors. If grotesque effects are desired, the mirrors may be of various forms lto distort the images.

The use and operation of my apparatus is extremely simple. The stage having been set in the inclosed space, the action is carried on, the camera station is revolved at any suitable speed, and the reiiected scene is recorded by the camera, together with whatever direct views the camera may take of the action. @The apparatus is particularly effective for taking certain kinds of action; as, for instance, the marching` of soldiers, dancing scenes and the like. For instance, a few dancers stationed in the stage space are recorded upon the camera film manyl hundreds or thousands of times by reiiection. T he image of the original actor is reflected back and forth from mirror to mirro`r and finally to the camera; and the camera thus records a great number of images of each single actor or object. Rotation of the camera station has the eect of continuously changing and varying the scene. For instance, at one point, the camera may record, from a few dancers, an innumerable number of images the scene seemingly stretching away indefinitely into the distance. While, at another point, the camera may record a similar set of images of quite a different scene; or the camera may record inter-mingled images of the different scenes.

Many uses of this apparatus Will suggest themselves to those skilled in this art and I therefore do not attempt to specify the uses `to which the apparatus may be put, nor to limit myself to any particular-uses. Furthermore, in order to suit different uses and' Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the different situations, various changes may be made in the apparatus; but I do not limit my invention from such changes, except as appear from the following claims.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim:

1. Stage apparatus of the character described, embodying a plurality of inwardly facing mirrors arranged about a stage space, and a concealed camera station within said space.

2. Stage apparatus of the character described, embodying a plurality of inwardly facing mirrors arranged about a center and inclosing a stage space, a concealed camera station within said space, and means to cause relative rotation of the mirrors and camera station.

3. Stage apparatus of the character described, embodying a plurality of inwardly facing mirrors arranged about a center and inclosing a stage space, and a rotatable concealed camera station within said space.

4. Stage apparatus of the character described, embodying a central rotatable camera station, and a plurality of upright mirrors arranged around the camera station inclosing a stage space tlierearound.

5. Stage apparatus of the character described, embodying a central rotatable concealed camera station, and a plurality of upright mirrors arranged around the camera station inclosing a stage space therearound in which space an action may take place, the mirrors reflecting inwardly toward the camera station.

6. Stage apparatus of the character described embodying. a plurality ofinwardly facing mirrors arranged about ay stage space, a camera station within said space, and means to cause relative rotation of the mirrors and camera station.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 11th day of October 1916.

ROBERT I-I. GOLDSTEIN.

Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. G. 

